Policymaking Addressing Women and Behavioral Health

There are numerous health, behavioral health, and co-occurring health issues women face across their lifespan. These issues include access to care, sex- and gender-specific health issues, variation in health outcomes, underrepresentation in research studies, fiscal and insurance issues, and public policies which affect women and their families. The many roles women have across the workplace, home, family, and community have exacerbated the daily and long-term health and behavioral health challenges they face in these settings. Effective and thoughtful policymaking can help to address the sociostructural or social determinants of health that adversely affect women and their behavioral health. This chapter will examine the public policymaking process and make recommendations on how it could be altered to improve the well-being of women with effective behavioral health treatment and support services.